Handley Denies Charge Of Taking Premature Campaign Donations

MANCHESTER — Deputy Mayor Mary Ann Handley, a Democrat who is running for the state Senate in the 4th District, has denied that she accepted campaign contributions earlier than permitted by state law.

Candidates may not accept campaign contributions before establishing a campaign committee. Handley established her campaign committee in mid-March. But on campaign finance forms, her treasurer listed three checks totaling $1,500 as having been received Jan. 1.

Handley said the three checks in question were received and deposited in early April, after her campaign committee had been formed, not in January.

Handley said her treasurer, Michael Barry, made a clerical error when he wrote in the Jan. 1 date.

Andrew Worthington, treasurer for Republican state Sen. Paul Munns' re-election campaign, filed a complaint about the matter Sept. 5 with the state Elections Enforcement Commission. The commission can impose a fine of up to $2,000 for a filing violation.